Phoenix Hold
by Sati James
Summary: Alexander Amell was taken to the Circle as a teenager rather than a child. When Kinloch Hold descends into the chaos of Uldreds revolt this minor change would have massive consequences for Uldred, Greagoir and Irving. And for once Warden Commander Cousland sees someone he would actually want at his side in a blight as a Lieutenant and advisor. But what price will Alexander ask?
1. Alexander Amell

Disclaimer: I do not own anything of the Dragon Age series

* * *

Interested in how Alexander Amell looks? Put 'William Moseley' into Google images. Pretty, sexy, intelligent and powerfully built he has it all, and yes I do have a crush ;-)

Out in the centre of the northen tip of Lake Calenhad a giant tower, the tallest west of the Frostback Mountains, sat upon a small island. The broken remanents of the Imperial Highway showing how it was once connected to the rest of Fereldan. Standing as a bastion of power and influence the fortress tower of Kinloch Hold was unmatched in Fereldan even by the smaller, less glamerous Fort Drakon and had weathered countless attacks upon its liege lord throughout the centuries. Now however the broken spans of the white highway running across the black waters of the lake signified not an attempt to keep something out but instead to keep something in. The fortress tower had been turned against its inhabitents untill it became a fortress prison. The Tower of the Fereldan Circle of Magi.

The full moon rose above the tower throwing the bright white bones of the highway into stark relief against the inky black of the deep water and the sparking obsidian of the tower itself. But the silver moonlight was unable to penetrate deep beneath the water, into the cellars and dungeons of the tower where someone was waiting. Had any of the inhabitents known what was coming they would probably have been astonded and pleased by the irony of the situation. For as the symbol of the Chantry was the blazing sun, it seemed perfect that the first steps to tearing down the prison this island had become were taken in the light of the moon.

The newly harrowed mage Alexander Amell, Alex to his friends, sat in his cell in the base of Kinloch Hold, known to the common man as the Circle Tower. The tall man had ice blue eyes, blonde hair to just below his ears and a young, handsome face.

Currently he was trying to deal with the fact that at age 22 his life was at an end. He was going to be made tranquil before the week was out.

'Jowen you idiotic moron!' Alex seethed aloud as he punched the stone wall of the dungeon cell in frustration. And then regretted it as his fist throbbed.

Jowen had been Alex's best friend since coming to the tower 4 years ago. Not, as most assumed, because it made Alex look much better as Jowen was so terrible at magic, but rather because Jowen shared his love of learning. Descended from a noble family in Kirkwall Alex's branch of the Amells had diversified becoming traders based out of the Fereldan port city of Amaranthine and before his incarceration by the Chantry Alex had spent his time learning about the geography, culture and history of the different nations of Thedas.

_'After all'_ Alex thought as his mind wandered back to happier times. _'You can't do business if you don't know what the different nations produce in abundance or what they desperately need, what they need but cant stomach trading for directly because their mortal enemy owns it and of course the different etiquete for each land. After all you definatly can't do buisness if you offend everyone at the table within the first 10 seconds because you don't know the culture'_

A smile appeared on Alex's face as he contemplated what his life would have been like without magic, or better yet if he had never been found.

'_I'd have a loyal guard force with a dear friend as captain around a nice home in Amaranthine' _hemused using the warmth of the daydream to fend off the fear of being made tranquil. _'loyal friends would command the ships of my merchant fleet with my best friend commanding the flagship as they traded across the oceans and seas of Thedas, Minrathros to Par Vollen, Val Royeaux to Denerim, Seheron to Kirkwall.'_

A heartfelt laugh filled the empty dungeon as the image of Jowen commanding his flagship entered his head. Poor Jowen who went green at even the sight of the lake!

Alex cursed as the thought of his best friend brought him back to reality with a crash. Jowen had been desperate to avoid being made tranquil as Greagoir thought him to weak to even give him the despicably harsh swim or be beheaded test that was the harrowing.

'_And of course'_ Alex growled to himself _'Irving just went along with it. Not even attempting to defend those in his charge for whom he is their only hope! Is it any wonder Jowen panicked! _

Alex had been tutored by a number of apostates before being found by the templars and despite his, unorthodox, education he had taken to the instruction and education side of the Circle like a fish to water, rapidly increasing his already impressive skill set until he was master of several chunks of the Primal, Spirit and Creation schools. Sure there were large gaps that a true master of each of the schools wouldn't have, his command of fire was terrible for starters, but as mages usually focused on a single school the varied skill set and the sheer natural power he could put behind it made him the feature of many of the towers templars nightmares. Jowen however, while he could master the theory perfectly, inevitably found the execution of said theory incredibly illusive, even with Alex's tutoring. Obviously Greagoir thought this failure of skill meant Jowen shouldn't even be given the chance to defend himself but rather be sentenced to certain death at the templars whim rather than almost certain death on his own merits.

As soon as they had learned of the fate in store for him Jowen and his girlfriend Lilly had planned to destroy his phylactery and then escape quickly. But they needed his help to do it. Alex had agreed in a heartbeat after all friends have each others backs no matter what. Unfortunately they had been caught. Jowen had fled trusting Alex's exemplary record and his own shouted admission of blackmail to protect Alex.

Unfortunately Greagoir was out for blood. 'And as always Irving is happy to provide it." Alex snarled bitterly to the empty cell.

BOOM!

Alex jumped as the explosion rocked the tower.

'WHAT IS GOING ON UP THERE?!' he screamed out hoping for something, even if it was just yells from the templars guarding the dungeon entrance far above.

As the explosions continued magic started to ripple through the air 'Maker almighty!' Alex exclaimed slightly panicked even as the ambient magic beginning to flow through the tower left him with a massive head rush as he gathered it to himself. 'What in the name of the black city is going on?' Desperate for information he let his mind slip lightly into the fade, feeling the next plane of existence that gave Mages their power.

He quickly shut it down as the tidal waves of power caused by so many Mages calling forth their power at once washed over him. _'Well' _he thought in shock _'It appears that Jowen wasn't the only blood mage in the tower.'_ The touch in the fade was unmistakable, upstairs Mages were calling forth Primal, Creation, Spirit and Entropy galore but there was a fifth signature as well, one that it would take a great many mages to generate, not a majority, but a significant number.

'It wood seem that the forbidden school is not so forbidden' Alex called out with a chuckle even as the desire to join the fight against what could only be the templars burned in his gut 'Maybe Irving isn't so useless after all, maybe he was just angry because me and Jowen caused him to start his attack early. Now if only I could get out of here and Join the fight!'

As if summoned a stone fist blew the door to the cell block open.

Alexander Amell stood their in shock. When the door had blown open from a stone fist so powerful it blew the magic resistant door into splinters he had expected to see Irving, Toren, Uldred or even his best female friend Enchanter Tria Suranna.

Which is why he was completely speechless upon seeing Senior Enchanter Leora running towards the door of his cell.


	2. Leora's Finest Hour

Disclaimer: I do not own anything of the Dragon Age series

* * *

Interested in how Alexander Amell looks? Put 'William Moseley' into Google images. Pretty, sexy, intelligent and powerfully built he has it all, and yes I do have a crush ;-)

Interested in how Tria Surana looks? Put Arwen into Google images.

Senior Enchanter Leora was currently running for her life. As Mistress of the Circle stockrooms she was in no way suited to combat. It was no particular failing of hers as with magic, like all of the Makers gifts, some simply had greater natural ability than others and while study and dedication could improve your power Magic was much like the Makers gifts of music, dance and the other arts. Without natural talent you can only make it so far.

As soon as the growing crisis had become apparent Leora had panicked and immediately run through the list of people she was sure were not demons in disguise that she could go to for protection. Unfortunately as most tended to look down on her for her lack of talent the list was short and there was only one name that she was certain she could reach without having to fight through to much difficulty on the way.

'Tranquil, Apprentice's! Quickly! Follow me!' Leora screamed out as she ran out of the complex of rooms that formed the Circles stockrooms, crafting halls and labs.

The gaggle of concerned Tranquil and terrified apprentices stuck close to Leora as, panicked though she was, she obviously had a pan. And that was a hell of a lot more than they had.

Bursting into the stockroom in the central chamber Leora ducked under a stray fireball, the threat of imminent death doing wonders for her reflexes, and cast an earthquake spell in the general direction of the group that looked more 'demoney' not even slowing down for a second she grabbed a random mage from the second group by the collar and pulled him along in her pel mel flight.

'Niall!' She exclaimed breathlessly as she finally recognised him. 'You and your friends need to bring up the rear! Don't let anyone harm the apprentices' or tranquil from behind.'

Her own fear at the thought of someone hexing her in the back as she fled had been building since she left the stockroom and left her incredibly aware of how vulnerable the group following her was. The tranquil had no magic after all and the apprentices who were with her for crafting lessons were all under 16 winters though thankfully no one under 12 winters generally left the apprentices dorms.

Releasing Niall, who promptly fell to the floor in a heap from the sudden change in speed, a roar from the direction of the Chapel made her put on an extra burst of speed.

'Owain! Leave that and come on! And bring the rest with you!' Leora yelled out as she leaped down the stairs leading to the first floor three at a time.

'_Where are the templars? They always said they were here to protect us as much as to protect others from us and this is the one time in my life here we have actually needed them to follow through on that promise. WHERE ARE THEY?!' _

* * *

Tria Surana was having a very bad day. In fact she was having a very bad week.

'_First that IDIOT Jowen gets caught trying to escape and then he takes Alex down with him and now fellow mages are trying to kill me! As if it wasn't hard enough maintaining even basic dignity and rights when it was just the templars set against us now someone has decided we need to fight against ourselves?!' _

Tria had spent the last week living in the library that made up the entirety of the First Floor. She was searching for some thing, anything, in the books of Chantry/Templar/Circle interaction that might help her save Alex from his fate.

'_Not that it matters' _she reflected bitterly _'The only chance he had was the First Enchanter but of course Irving abandoned him as soon as Greagoir put even the slightest pressure on him. It only goes to prove that First Enchanters are chosen by the Templars no matter if they are 'actually' appointed by a towers College of Magi.'_

The pale skinned and dark haired elf had been researching in the library when the chaos of the revolt had started. Surana had been taken from the Amaranthine Alianage when she was just a child but her memories of that place had allowed her to strike up a friendly accord with Alexander Amell when he had arrived. That the Amells were willing to hire Elvhan labour on the docks and on their ships had also gone along way to making it possible.

'_After all. Daddy always did say that even if they were paid less than the humans they were treated right and they were kept on as loyal workers even if there were human dockers idle on the wharfs.' _

Based on this rocky start Alex and Tria had become fast friends. Though she was far more impulsive and wished desperately to explore the world, the more cautious and analytical Alex still claimed her as his best female friend, his best friend now that Jowen was gone. The templars had been especially wary of this fact as Tria Surana had just as much raw power as Alexander Amell. The only difference was how they applied it as where as Alex had reached senior enchanter level spells but spread them out over three schools she had focused on, and gained, full mastery of the Primal School, only dipping her toe into Entropy at Alex's constant urging.

'_And thank the Maker for that!' _she thought grimly sending another blizzard at the demons the revolting mages had summoned.

Uldred had apparently not counted on anyone staying in the library whilst he had made it known that anyone interested in the future direction of the Circle should join him on the upper floors and had only sent three mages to secure it. He had not counted on Tria Surana.

The only Mages in the library. Petra, Kinnon and Keili had stood still in shock as Tria turned the first revolting mage into a charred, twitching corpse with a blast of lightning before they even realised they were facing serious resistance. Unfortunately that had not lasted long and realising that they were facing someone quite capable of defeating them they had summoned demons to their aid.

Tria had sent the three other mages down to the Apprentice Quarters on the ground floor to protect the children and had begun the most intense battle of her life. The second rebelling mage had been stalled by a blast of Ice before being shattered by a stone fist as Tria dodged an incoming life drain and burned the hunger demon closing in on her from behind with a blast of flame.

'_Note to self. Be more careful when throwing around fire spells in the library!' _

Thankfully it was an isolated bookcase and another stone fist sent it crashing down on the second huger demon crushing and burning it.

Two Ice blasts in quick succession eliminated the two rage demons that had been summoned but as she turned Tria realised that that had been a mistake. To take them out she had turned her back on the last rebelling mage and the demented grin on his face as blood pooled in his clenched fists told her she was not going to live to regret that decision.

Which was why she was left blinking in shock as a Senior Enchanter Leora came flying down the stairs and knocked him over before the mass feet of the apprentices, tranquil and mages trying to keep up with her trampled him to death.

'Don't just stand there Surana! Move!' Leora bellowed as she tore passed the blinking, stunned mage.

Not really believing she was following the kind-hearted and patient Leora in a battle situation Surana joined Niall in bringing up the rear of the fleeing group as they headed towards the apprentices quarters and the hopeful sanctuary of the ground floor.

It was only as she ran passed the burnt corpse's of templars and mages alike on the main route through the library that she had time to ponder what had been going on whilst she was fighting her way through the stacks.

'_Rightly or wrongly Mages are in revolt. So where are the templars? I mean its not even all of us revolting if this group is any indication so where are the BLOODY TEMPLARS?!'_


End file.
